2) Listen in via webinar: Registration for the webinar is required and advanced registration is available by clicking the link listed below. Advanced registration is not required but if you register now you will receive e-mail reminders about the webinar. You may also register at the start of the meeting.

NOTE: If you have not participated in a Council webinar, we are happy to help you set up your connection! On the day of the meeting, tune in to the webinar 30 minutes prior to the start to test your audio settings with the help of Council staff.

Background:

The recreational fishery for Atlantic migratory group cobia is scheduled to close on June 20, 2016. The closure applies to those fishing for cobia recreationally in federal waters from Georgia to New York from a private vessel, charter vessel, or headboat. The closure is the result of accountability measures required by federal regulations to protect the cobia resource and prevent overfishing. The 2015 recreational catch was 1,540,775 pounds, which exceeded the recreational Annual Catch Limit (ACL) of 630,000 pounds.

The scheduled recreational closure has caused concerns from fishermen, particularly those from North Carolina and Virginia where the closure will have negative economic and social impacts due to the seasonality of the fishery. As a result, the South Atlantic Council, in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, will host a Cobia Q&A Public Meeting to provide information and help address questions and concerns.

Council staff will give a presentation that includes,

An overview of the Council federal management process;

Information on historical management of cobia;

The SEDAR stock assessment for cobia;

Information about current cobia management and the pending recreational closure; and

Future management actions for cobia currently being considered by the South Atlantic Council.

Council staff and area Council members will be available to answer questions following the presentation.

How to Submit Comments:

Comments must be received in the Council office by 5 p.m. on May 20, 2016. Comments may be submitted by mail, e-mail , or fax. See the details outlined below:

Meeting Materials:

Presentations: Presentations will be available for download as a PDF and as a video linked to the Council's YouTube Channel.

NOTE: In order to help stakeholders understand the complexity of cobia management in the region, the presentation is divided into 5 sections and it is recommended they are read/viewed in order from I through V.